Signature Kill

Blurb: A stunning serial-killer novel from David Levien, featuring his acclaimed and indomitable investigator, Frank Behr…this is the bigger thriller we’ve been wanting for from Levien.

A young woman’s body is found on a side street in Indianapolis, horrifyingly arranged. Meanwhile, Frank Behr, who is down on his luck and virtually broke, takes on a no-win case to locate a single mother’s wayward daughter who’s been missing for months. Suddenly Behr feels the two cases may be connected, but he is years removed from his life as a legitimate police officer and has few friends left on the force. His relentless focus has always been his greatest strength…and his deepest flaw. As the death toll rises, it becomes clear Indianapolis has a serial killer in its midst…an invisible average Joe who passes beneath the radar but commits unspeakable acts. Frank Behr’s pursuit will lead him to a dark place—and ultimately to a devastating decision from which he will not be able to turn back. Signature Kill is David Levien’s most masterful novel yet—a book that will attract attention from a wider group of thriller fans.

Review: Chilling and believable…

“…a signature killer, more accurately, engaged in serial predation…”

So. You think you know about serial killers? Maybe from the news, from non-fiction books or fiction? Well, you will be adding this one to the worst of the worst list. One of the most gruesome killers I have ever read about, either fictional or real, will have you gritting your teeth as you read his point of view as he stalks his victims patiently and relentlessly.

The story opens with the main character, Frank Behr, stalking a deer through the woods while hunting with an old friend. It’s a strange sort of foreshadowing of the relentless patience of the serial killer, to track and remember every detail of the hunted’s life, patterns and habits. It also is a good look at the methodical way that Frank will get on the trail of the killer, when he understands what he might be dealing with.

Some readers might not like Frank much. He’s made a mess of his personal life. He makes some really poor choices about mixing his work with his family…a family that is already pretty dysfunctional. But I liked him. He is smart and intense. A little ruthless. A little over the top at times. Single-minded. Being in an intimate relationship with a man like this might be daunting, but if he’s on the trail of a killer? Pure comfort.

The blurb for this book is excellent. It drew me directly into the story and never let me catch a breath. Clue after clue is uncovered in a linear way that made me want to turn another page…and another, while still being fascinated, in a horrified way, with the mind of a killer in the mix.

I am recommending this book very highly with one caveat…if you are squeamish about graphically gory descriptions, this might be one you want to skip. Personally, I love the dark reads, and this one is going on my top ten list for the year. I will be rereading this one again soon.

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